He Philadelphia Phillies They are no strangers to spending big when it comes to trying to land superstars in free agency.

Prior to the 2019 season, the Phillies signed superstar outfielder Bryce Harper to a 13-year, $330 million contract, and prior to the 2023 campaign, they signed superstar shortstop Trea Turner, Harper’s former teammate, to a $330 million contract. 11 years and $300 million. contract.

This offseason, there’s one target at the top of almost everyone’s list, who also happens to be a former teammate of Harper’s and Turner’s, superstar outfielder Juan Soto.

Speculation about where the outfielder will sign has surrounded the baseball landscape throughout the 2024 season and has been no different in the postseason, as his New York Yankees he fought his way to the World Series and shows no signs of slowing down until the ink has dried on whichever team Soto has signed with.

While the $630 million Philadelphia has set aside under Harper’s and Turner’s names is no nonsense, that total is split between two players.

In a recent article by The AthleticTim Britton attempted to project the potential salaries that top-tier free agents will receive this winter, and Britton has Soto projected at 13 years, $611 million, just $19 million less than what Harper and Turner will make, combined.

It may seem like an astronomical number, and it certainly is, but players like Juan Soto don’t come around very often, especially players who enter free agency at 25 years old.

Soto has proven time and time again that he is the best hitter in the game and he has yet to reach his prime.

He knows the strike zone better than anyone currently in baseball, and maybe even ever, can hit for power with the best of them, hitting a career-high 41 home runs in 2023, and has a .285 batting average. at 4,088. plate appearances in 936 games.

He can easily slot in at the top of any lineup, and for the Phillies, it would give them the ability to move Kyle Schwarber to the fourth spot, while moving Harper to the second spot in the lineup and dropping Turner to the fifth or fifth spot. sixth, spacing his lineup in a much better way.

Whoever ends up signing Soto will have to be willing to open their pockets, and Philadelphia has shown us before that they aren’t afraid to do just that.